Henrico Planning Commission to weigh proposals for 358 new homes in Glen Allen, 103 in Eastern Henrico

The Henrico Planning Commission Nov. 13 will hear proposals for three residential developments in the county that could add as many as 465 new housing units.

The largest of the three would result in the construction of 358 or more new homes near the interchange of I-295 and Nuckols Road in Glen Allen. The community, to be known as Westford Glen, would take shape on a mostly wooded 76-acre site along the east side of Nuckols Road between Hickory Park Drive and Fords Country Lane (near the site of the Springfield Road Public Use Area).

Main Street Homes of VA Inc. and Schell Brothers would partner to build the development, whose current plan shows 322 townhomes and 36 single-family homes. Hickory Park Drive would be extended to provide access to 258 townhomes on the west side of the property, while the other 64 townhomes and the single-family homes would be on the east, along with a two-acre commercial pad, bordering the Hollway at Wyndham Forest subdivision.

The developers have proffered a maximum of 330 townhomes and 40 single-family homes to provide themselves with flexibility to add more units if layouts changes allow them.

Westford Glen would include a 50-foot buffer between the commercial and residential sections, a 25-foot buffer along Nuckols Road and Fords Country Lane, and a 30-foot buffer along Hickory Park Drive. A third lane would be added on the northbound side of the existing portion of Nuckols Road, along with a right turn lane, subject to VDOT approval. There also would be an entrance on Fords Country Lane.

The county's 2026 Comprehensive Plan recommends the area for office and environmental protection uses, but planners acknowledged that the proposal "could be consistent with the existing residential zoning on the property and the general pattern of development in the surrounding area, which has generally transitioned to residential uses since the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan in 2009."

But the proposed density is greater than that of nearby developments, planners wrote, and the developers also have indicated they may further expand Westford Glen in the future, particularly if VDOT gives up a portion of Fords Country Lane – though they haven’t said by how much or what the final density would be.

There’s also an unresolved issue with the right turn lane from Nuckols Road to Fords Country Lane, and the proposal includes an out-of-date traffic study, according to county planners.

As a result, the planning department won’t support the proposal until those issues are addressed, since changing density would affect area infrastructure and traffic impacts may require road improvements and changes to the Nuckols/Hickory Park intersection. A population increase of this size also would risk overcrowding Rivers Edge Elementary School and Deep Run High School, county planners wrote in a report.

Another development proposal, from Brow Holdings LLC, was deferred from the commission's October meeting to allow the developer time to address Henrico Planning Department concerns and to hold a second community meeting.

It would allow the construction of “Steeple Lane,” a development that would include 90 townhomes and 13 zero-lot detached single-family homes on North Laburnum Avenue south of its intersection with Kingsridge Parkway in Eastern Henrico, not far from the old Fairfield Library location.

The 23-acre site is largely wooded and includes a stream running through it. The project would be developed in phases, with the first including the construction of detached homes and 30 townhomes on the portion south of the stream, while the second would include the other 60 townhomes on the northern portion.

Steeple Lane would have two access points from Laburnum, as well as a buffer of undefined width along the road. Henrico planners are recommending approval of the project if the developer provides more details about the landscaping and requirements for building foundations.

The final residential proposal would allow the construction of four single-family homes on two acres at the intersection of Tiller Road and Brennen Robert Place in Glen Allen.

The site already has one home on it and can only hold a few more homes due to a lack of sewer and some environmental constraints. The developer, Youngblood Properties LLC, also owns 21 acres to the west and intends to build single-family homes there in the future. Planners have asked for one unified development proposal instead of smaller piecemeal proposals.

Finally, the commission will review a proposal to build solar farm on the site of a former landfill in the Varina District. The 57-acre site is at the intersection of Milburn Avenue and Voegier Road. The project would be similar to the recently approved solar farm on the Springfield Road landfill. Solar arrays would be limited to 20 feet in height and 65% coverage of the property.

According to the developer, the facility would generate two megawatts a year, roughly the amount of power needed to power 2,200 homes. The land would be leased for 35 years and, when the lease ends, the developer would have to restore it to its original condition. Henrico planners are recommending approval of the project.

The commission's meeting Thursday will take place at 5 p.m. in the Board Room of the Administration Building at the Western Government Center (4301 East Parham Road). Members of the public who wish to attend in person or via livestream can find more information at https://henrico.gov/planning/meetings.

The commission’s recommendations on all of these proposals would be scheduled for consideration by the Henrico Board of Supervisors at its Dec. 2 meeting.